The present invention relates to a track support assembly for motorized equipment and, in particular, to an endless track assembly particularly adapted to support snow blowers and other light weight equipment.
A wide variety of engine powered equipment has been developed for performing a variety of home and commercial tasks, for example, snow blowers, plows, grass cutters, sweepers, trenchers, bucket-type diggers, stump grinders, among other equipment types. The chassis and frameworks of such equipment are typically supported on wheels mounted with pneumatic tires. The terrain where the equipment is used however is not always accommodating of movement of the wheels through mud, snow and over other rough terrain. Many of these units also include self-drive linkages.
The present invention was developed to provide an economical, self-supporting and substantially frame-less track assembly for such equipment and especially self-driven equipment. The equipment may support an operator or be hand-directed by an operator. An on-board gas, electric or other suitable engine that powers a work head piece or assembly that performs a desired function, as well as driving equipment movement. A present application is a gas powered snow blower wherein a driven auger aggregates and directs snow from a discharge chute as the subject track assembly supports and powers the equipment forward and backward.
The track assembly is configured to couple a drive sprocket to the equipment engine either directly or through a gear system, transmission or other appropriate drive linkage. Apertures, grooves, slots or other appendages at the drive sprocket engage depressions or drive lugs that depend from a circumscribing drive track trained to rotate in endless fashion about the sprocket.
Idler and/or bogey wheels supported from idler axles are laterally displaced to the sides of the drive sprocket at forward and/or aft ends of the track to stabilize the sprocket and maintain track ground contact. The lateral sides of the drive sprocket contact and are supported by the idler wheels. Rollers supported intermediate the idlers wheels from the idler axles contact and support circumferential surfaces of the drive sprocket to further stabilize the sprocket. Linkage arms extending between the idler axles provide additional lateral support to the idler wheels, sprocket and drive lugs. The sprocket and idler wheels collectively maintain track tension and prevent slippage or dislodgement of the track from the idler wheels and/or sprocket.
The assembly is also constructed to minimize snow and ice build-up within interior spaces of the sprocket and track assembly to further prevent slippage or dislodgement of the track. Seals are also integrated into the idler wheels and/or sprocket support rollers to interact and cooperate to enhance operation and equipment life.